Door latch-adjustable linkage for push button



April 29, 1958 B. D. PRIESTMAN 2,832,626

DOOR LATCH-ADJUSTABLE LINKAGE FOR PUSH BUTTON Filed April 22, 1955 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 lnvehtor April 29, 1958 B. DfPRlEsTMAN 2,832,626

DOOR LATCH-ADJUSTABLE LINKAGE FOR PUSH BUTTON 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed April 22, 1955 United States Patent DOOR LATCH-ADJUSTABLE LINKAGE FOR PUSH BUTTON Bewley D. Priestman, Livonia, Mich., assignor to General Motors Corporation, Detroit, Mich., a corporation of Delaware Application April 22, 1955, Serial No.503,073

10 Claims. (Cl. 292-288) is that it provides novel means on the latch for compensating for variations in the length of the remote actuator; a further feature of the invention is that it pro vides improved means for coupling the remote actuator to the bolt operating apparatus, including first and second levers pivotally mounted on the latch frame in such a manner that the angle between the levers, and hence the effective total length of the levers, is readily adjustable to compensate for variations in length of the remote actuator; and still another feature of the invention is that the adjustable means comprises a cam pivoted on one lever and having a curved, serrated cam surface releasably engaged by a follower on the other lever, the curved cam surface being so formed that the angle between the levers changes as the follower is moved along the cam surface.

Other features and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following description and from the drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a fragmentary side elevational view of an automobile having the improved door latch mounted therein;

Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the door latch;

' Fig. 3 is a fragmentary elevational view of a portion of the door latch shown in Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a view similar to Fig. 3 but with the parts in a different position; and

Fig. 5 is a section through the latch taken along the line 5-5 of Fig. 4.

In the manufacture of various makes and styles of automobiles it is economically advantageous to use similar parts in the different body styles where possible. This is particularly true in the case of door latches, which generally are relatively complex structures formed of many parts. If a single latch can be used with only minor modifications in various makes and bodystyles, as well as in front and rear doors of any given body style, the latch can be more cheaply produced and the total tooling costs can be cut considerably. In many body styles it is possible to mountthe latch in the door so that the bolt operator on the latch frame is directly opposite the outside push. button actuator. Under other conditions of body structure and styling, it is not pos sible to mount the latch directly opposite the outside push button actuator and in such cases the push button must be connected to the latch operating means through a remote actuating rod.

This. invention provides an improved door latch. which, bya simple change, can bemounted directly opposite thepush button. or. can be mounted at a point remote from; the; push button and connected to the push: button by an actuating rod. The principal feature. of theiinvenice - into different body units of the same body-style despite manufacturing and assembly variations in the length of the actuating rod or in the exact location of the latch.

Referring now more particularly to the drawings, an automobile designated generally at has a front door 12 which carries a door latch 14. The latch has a rotary bolt which cooperates in conventional and well known manner with a striker (not shown)on the automobile body at the rear of the door opening, and the bolt may be operated from the outside-by means of a push button 16 which is slidable in a stationary gripping handle 18. The bolt may be operated from the inside by a turn handle 20 on the inner panel of the door and the'latch may be locked, either through a garnish molding button 22 inside the car or through a conventional key cylinder device 24 outside the car. i

Fig. 2 shows the latch removed from the automobile. The latch frame is formed with countersunk screw holes 32 for securing the frame to the jamb ed'g'eof the door 12. On the frame a bolt 34 is mounted for free rotary movement by a stud 36 which is rotatably journaled in the frame and in a bolt housing 38 (see Fig. ,l) projecting outside the jamb face of the door. The bolt 34 is nonrotatable relative to the stud 36, and on the opposite surface of the frame from the bolt there is a cam 40 which is also nonrotatably mounted on the stud 36 so that the bolt 34 and thecam 40 operate as a unit. In order to hold the bolt against rotation to keep the door latched, there is a detent 42 which is pivotally mounted on the frame by means of a stud 44. The detent is urged by a spring 46 in a clockwise direction so-Qthat its operating foot 42a engages a tooth on the cam- 40 to hold the bolt and cam against rotation in one direction.

Operating means for the detent and bolt includes a multiplier lever 48 pivotally mounted on a stud 50 on the frame and having an arm 52 received in a slot 42b in the detent. The multiplier lever has a second arm 54 through which the latch can be operated from the inside, and a third arm 56 through which the latch can be operated from the outside. The arm 54 extends through a slot in a right angular flange portion of the frame and underlies a hook or lug 58 projecting from an inside operating lever 60 which is pivoted at 62 on theright angular flange portion of the frame. The lever 60 is connected to an inside actuating rod 64 which, as shown in Fig. 1, extends forwardly of the door and is connected to the inside handle 20. When the inside handle 20is turned to open the door, the rod 64 is pulled forwardly of the car, pivoting the lever 60 in a counterclockwise direction (Fig. 2) and causing pivotal movement of the multiplier lever and the detent so that the foot 42a of the detent moves out-of engagement with the cam 40, freeing the cam and the bolt for rotation. With the cam and the bolt freely rotatable, the door may be pushed open.

The door may be locked from inside the car by depressing the garnish molding button 22 which is connected through a rod 66 to a lever 68 pivoted at 70 on the flange of the'frame. The lever 68 makes alug and slot connection at 72 with a rockable lock lever 74 which is pivoted at 76 on the flange of the frame. This lock lever has spaced tabs 78 and 80 which make a slidable connection with a shiftable and swingable intermittent link 82. When the link 82 is swung downwardly to a locked position, the door cannot be opened from 3 the outside, although it can be opened from the inside by operation of the handle 20.

In order to lock the door from the outside, there is a conventional key cylinder 24 (Fig. l which is so arranged that operation ofa key in the cylinder rocks a lever 84 about its pivot 86 on the frame. This lever is connected by a link 83 to the lock lever 74, so that rocking the lever 84 in a clockwise direction-also rocks the lock lever and swings the intermittent link 82 to locked position. An overcenter spring 90 releasably holds the lock lever 74 in either locked or unlocked position.

The outside operating means for the detent and bolt comprises, in addition to the arm 56 of the multiplier lever 48, the intermittent link 82. It will be seen from Fig. 2 that upon shiftable movement of the intermittent link to the right, its lower arm 92 will pick up the multiplier lever arnt 56 to pivot the detent foot 42a'out of engagement with the cam {10. But when the lock lever 74 has been rockedto locked position, it swings the intermittent link 82' in a clockwise direction by virtue of the slidable conmotion between the lock lever and the intermittent link formed byan arm 94 on the intermittent link having a bent tab 96 which is straddled by the arms 78 and 80 of the lock lever. If the intermittent link is shifted when it is in locked position, the multiplier lever arm 56 will no longer be inthe path of shiftable movement of the intermittent link arm 92 and thearm 92 will not pick up the multiplier lever arm, bunt will merely free wheel.

The invention resides in the means for coupling the boltj opcrating means to the outside remote operating rod 65., The intermittent link 82 is pivoted at 98 on a first coupling lever 100 which in turn is pivoted on a stud 102 on the latch frame 30. One end 4611 of the detent biasing spring 46 is hooked onto lever 100 to bias the lever in a counterclockwise direction. Pivotal movement of coupling lever 100 in a clockwise direction will shift the intermittent link to free the bolt for rotation in the manner'heretofo're described.

A second coupling lever 104 is pivoted coaxially with the lever100 on the stud 102 and a spring 106 (see Figs. 3, 4 and is connected to lever 104 to urge the lever in a clockwise direction toward lever 100 and to decrease the .angle between the two levers. The free end of lever 104 is connected to an actuating rod 65 which, as shown in Fig. 1 extends upwardly and is connected to the outside push button mechanism. When the push button is depressed, the rod 65 is raised, pivoting the levers 104 and 100 in a clockwise direction to shift the intermittent link.

In order to compensate for variations in the length of the actuating rod 65 to adapt the latch for varying conditions in different body styles and to permit the latch to be easily fitted into a given body despite production variations in the length of the actuating rod and in the location of the latch frame on the doorQmeans are provided for holding the levers 100 and 104 in a selected angular relationship and for readily changing the angular relationship between the two levers.

A cam 108 is pivotally mounted by 'a stud 110 on the lever 100. The cam has a, curved serrated cam surface HZ-which is engaged by a follower 114 formed as anintegral projection on the lever 104. The spring 106 holds the follower 114 in constant engagement with the serrated cam surface 112; one end 106:: of the spring projecting through a slot 116 in the lever 100 and being booked in a hole 118 in the cam 108 so that the cam is urged by the spring 106 in a clockwise direction as the parts appear in the drawings. The cam surface 108 is arcuatc being drawn about a center which is offset from the pivoial axis 110 of the cam 108 in such a manner that one end of the serrated portion of the cam surface is farther from the pivotalaxis 1 1 0 of the cam than is the other'end. Consequently rotation of the cam'about its pivotal axis 110 changes the angular relationship'between levers 100 and 104. With the follower 114' engaging the arcuate cam surface as shown in Figs.'2 and'3, there is substantially a n 4 I maximum angle formed between levers and 104 so that a relatively long actuating rod 106 can be accommodated. Since the levers 100 and 104 are both freely rotatable on the stud 102, the cam and follower connection effectively makes these levers into a unitary bell crank during operation, but the angle of the bell crank arms can be changed by moving the follower 114 to a different point on the periphery of the serrated cam. Fig. 4 shows the parts so arranged that the angular relationship between the levers 100 and 104 has been reduced to a minimum in order to accommodate a relatively short actuating rod 65.

In order to change the position of the follower on the cam, the lever 104 may be manually pivoted in a counterclockwise direction to back the follower 114 away from the cam serrations. Spring 106 will tend to pivot the cam 108 from the position of Fig. 4 toward the position of Fig. 3. The cam can be manually set at any desired position between the positionsof Figs. 3 and 4 and then engaged by the follower-114 to provide any desired angular relationship of levers 100 and 104 between the limits shown in Figs. 3 and 4.

While I have shown and described one embodiment of my' invention, it is capable of many modifications. Changes, therefore, in the construction and arrangement may be made without-departing from the spirit and scope of the invention asset forth in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In a door latch having a bolt, operating means for the bolt and a remote actuator for the operating means, apparatus of the character described for coupling the remote actuator to the operating means, including: a first pivotally mounted iever connected to the operating means; a second pivotally mounted lever connected to the remote actuator, said levers being pivoted about a common axis; and releasable means comprising a cam pivotally mounted on one lever and a follower on the other lever engaging said cam and coupling said first and second levers together at a selected one of a plurality of angles to change the effective total length of said levers and compensate for variations in the length of said remote actuator.

2. Apparatus of the character claimed in claim 1, wherein said cam has a serrated surface for engaging said follower without slipping.

3. Apparatus of the character claimed in claim 1, wherein said cam has an arcuate serrated surface for engaging said follower without slipping, the arcuate surface being drawn about a center spaced from the pivotal axis of the earn.

4. In a door latch having a bolt, operating means for the bolt and a remote actuator for the operating means, apparatus of the character described for coupling the remote actuator to the operating means, including: a first pivotally mounted lever connected to the operating means; a second pivotally mounted lever connected to the remote actuator; and releasable means comprising a cam pivotally mounted on one lever and a follower on the other lever engaging said cam and coupling said first and second levers together at a selected one of a plurality of angles to change the effective total length of said levers and to compensate for variations in the length of said remote actuator, said cam having a curved serrated cam surface so arranged that one end of said surface is farther from the pivotal axis of the cam than is the other end.

5. Ina door latch having a bolt, operating means for the bolt and a remote actuator for the operating means, apparatus of the character described for coupling the remote actuator to the operating means, including: a first pivotally mounted lever connected to the operating means; a second pivotally mounted lever connected to the remote actuator; and releasable means comprising a cam pivotally mounted onone lever and a follower on the other lever engaging said cam and coupling said first and second 'levers'together at a selected one of a plurality of'angles to tuator, the cam having an arcuate cam surface formed about a center which is offset from the pivotal axis of the cam.

6. Apparatus of the character claimed in claim 4 wherein the arcuate cam surface is serrated for engaging the follower without slipping, and wherein the follower comprises a lug integral with said other lever.

7. In a door latch having a frame, a bolt pivotally mounted on the frame, a detent on the frame comprising holding means for the bolt, operating means for the holding means and a remote actuating rod for the operating means, apparatus of the character described for coupling the actuating rod to the operating means, including: a first lever pivotally mounted on the frame and connected to the operating means; a second lever pivotally mounted on the frame coaxially with said first lever and connected to the actuating rod; a cam pivotally mounted on one lever, the cam having a curved serrated cam surface so arranged that one end of the serrations is farther from the pivotal axis of the cam than is the other end of the serrations; and a follower on the other lever releasably engaging the serrated surface of the cam and coupling said levers together at a selected one of a plurality of angles to change the effective total length of said levers and compensate for variations in the length of said rod.

8. In a door latch having a frame, a bolt pivotally mounted on the frame, a detent on the frame comprising holding means for the bolt, operating means for the holding means and a remote actuating rod for the operating means, apparatus of the character described for coupling the actuating rod to the operating means, including: a first lever pivotally mounted on the frame and connected to the operating means; a second lever pivotally mounted on the frame coaxially with said first lever and connected to the actuating rod; a cam pivotally mounted on one lever, the cam having an arcuate serrated cam surface formed about a center which is oifset from the pivotal axis of the cam; a follower on the other lever releasably engaging the serrated surface of the cam and coupling said levers together at a selected one of a plurality of angles to change the efiective total length of said levers and compensate for variations in the length of said rod; and spring means urging said follower into engagement with the serrated surface of said cam.

9. In a door latch having a frame, a bolt pivotally mounted on the frame, a detent on the frame comprising holding means for the bolt, operating means for the holding means and a remote actuating rod for the operating means, apparatus of the character described for coupling the actuating rod to the operating means, including: a first lever pivotally mounted on the frame and connected to the operating means; a second lever pivotally mounted on the frame coaxially with said first lever and connected to the actuating rod; spring means urging said levers together in a scissors-like manner; a cam pivotally mounted on said first lever, the cam having an arcuate serrated cam surface formed about a center which is offset from the pivotal axis of the cam; and a follower integral with the second lever releasably engaging the serrated surface of the cam and coupling said first and second levers together at a selected one of a plurality of angles to change the elfective total length of said levers and compensate for variations in the length of said rod.

10. In a door latch having a bolt, operating means for the bolt and a remote actuator for the operating means, apparatus of the character described for coupling the remote actuator to the operating means, including: a first pivotally mounted lever connected to the operating means; a second pivotally mounted lever connected to the remote actuator; and releasable means comprising a cam pivotally mounted on one lever and a follower on the other lever engaging said cam and coupling said first and second levers together at a selected one of a plurality of angles to change the effective total length of said levers and compensate for variations in the length of said actuator.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,362,256 Endter Nov. 7, 1944 2,452,717 Blau Nov. 2, 1948 FOREIGN PATENTS 11,061 Great Britain 1904 

